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1.
INTRODUCTION
This document, the Quality Management Plan (QMP) for Maritime Environmental Resource Center
(MERC), is the blueprint, of MERC’s overall Quality Management System. The QMP describes
MERC’s quality system that will be employed in implementing MERC and provides its quality assurance
(QA) policies and procedures; criteria for and areas of application; roles, responsibilities and authorities;
and assessment and response. The guiding documents for the QMP are the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI)/American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) E4-1994
Quality Systems for
Environmental Data and Technology Programs
and EPA QA/R-2,
March 2001, EPA Requirements for
Quality Management Plans.
1.1
Purpose
1.1.1
MERC Purpose
The purpose of MERC is to conduct independent, scientifically-sound, quality assured evaluations of
ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) with regard to factors such as biological treatment performance,
predictability/reliability, environmental acceptability, and safety. MERC testing protocols apply to the
use land-based testing and are based on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines for
Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems (G8) and Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water
Management Systems That Make Use of Active Substances (G9); and the ETV Generic Protocol for the
Verification of Ballast Water Treatment Technologies (2010). Land-based testing, as defined by the IMO
is a test of the BWTS carried out in a laboratory, equipment factory, or pilot plant including a moored test
barge or test ship. Land-based BWTS verification testing is conducted in a manner to demonstrate
consistent and predictable performance at full scale, simulating real world application and conditions.
The objective is to provide information for stakeholders to make informed choices in selecting
appropriate ballast water treatment technology for shipboard installations. Detailed information about
MERC is presented at www.maritime-enviro.org.
1.1.2
Quality System Purpose
The purpose of the quality system described in this QMP is to establish policies, processes, and
procedures that will ensure that the quality of data, products, and services provided by MERC meet or
exceed meeting the data quality objectives (DQOs) established by the users of the data. It also ensures
that all data collection and processing activities, performed by or under MERC’s oversight, will result in
the production of data that are both documented and of known quality, and can be used with a high degree
of certainty by the intended user to support specific decisions or actions.
1.2
Scope
The scope of this QMP encompasses all activities that MERC and any test participants perform during the
planning, testing, and reporting of MERC tests. The quality system defined in this QMP applies to
personnel involved in, and activities conducted within, or for MERC. It contains the minimum
requirements applicable to MERC activities. These include personnel qualifications and training,
procurement of items and services, documents and records, computer hardware and software, planning,
implementation of work processes, assessment and response, and quality improvement provisions.